I can´t believe that this week will be my last one in the "Metropolis of the Amazon" a.k.a Belem ! It won´t be my last visit ever, I surely do plan on coming back to visit the wonderful people that I have met here. Since this is my last blog, I want to sum up my experiences here in this brilliant city.
B- The benevolence of the people here. I mentioned this before but the kindness and generosity of the people here is overwhelming, in a good way! The people that I met here have treated me like a member of their family. On my trips outside of Belem to Sao Luis, Macooco and to Outiero , I traveled with my friends and their families and they have all been so warm and welcoming. The United States is known as a selfish country. At times, I can be self centered but my experiences here have encouraged me to be more selfless, kind and giving to those around me.
E- Excellent cuisine! I love food and I´m excited that I had the opportunity to taste the many dishes of Belem. A typical dish here consists of rice, beans and meat. To jazz it up, the locals here add a toasted root, tapioca and flour mixture called faroofa. The locals love it and so do I! It adds a nice gritty texture to the dish. A couple of my other faves are crab, Dorada, a type of fish,Guarana, a flavored soft drink, Cupuacu and Brazilian cherry juice. I didn't´t just indulge in the Brazilian foods. I also enjoyed pizza from a pizza parlor named Pizza Loca and ice cream from a shop named Cairu. I´m getting hungry now just writing about the foods :-)
L- Language. Learning a new language is difficult. It´s even harder when you are in an area that solely speaks the language that you are incompetent in. The good thing is that the people in Belem are patient and understanding and they will always do their best to help you!
E- Extreme Heat A fellow CBU student from Brazil told me before I came, that Belem is known for their hot temperatures! At first, it was hard to adapt to the weather but it became easier as the time here passed. If I can survive a summer in Memphis, then I can survive Belem and I did, with the help of a lot of ice cream and fans lol.
M- Memories I have so many memories that I will take back home with me to the USA. From getting lost in the city and finding my way back home, traveling to the new cities with people who I just met, meeting new people, sleeping in a hammock for the first time, riding a motor boat... I can go on and on but the point is that I will carry these memories with me forever.
This week is bittersweet. I am happy to return home to my family but I will truly miss my friends here in Belem. Felicia Malone, a participant in the MHIRT program last year, told me that she cried and was so sad when she left Belem last year. I feel the same way. I am truly blessed that I had the opportunity to come to Belem. I will truly miss it here!
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